Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Microsystems and Solid State Technologies EMFTAutonomous driving is expected to play a central role in the mobility of the future - especially in areas where traditional public transport systems reach their limits. Rural areas, in particular, need flexible and economically sustainable solutions tailored to actual demand.
Autonomous bus for local public transport
Project SUE: First self-driving bus
SUE world premiere
Autonomous Driving for Local Public Transport
The SUE project (Self-driving Urban E-Shuttle) developed an autonomous people mover designed to serve as a highly automated feeder vehicle for regional public transport. The aim was to enable reliable and safe autonomous driving under real infrastructure conditions - at speeds of up to 50 km/h. A key component in achieving this is a robust, redundant localization technology developed at Fraunhofer EMFT.
Autonomous Minibus – Made in Germany
The SUE project was initiated to rethink autonomous driving not only from a technological perspective but also at the system level. Instead of creating a purely demonstrative vehicle, the consortium developed a road-approved prototype, entirely designed and built in Germany.
Led by Uedelhoven GmbH & Co. KG, the project was funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (funding number: 19A21047D) and brought together ten partners from the fields of:
- Vehicle development
- Drive systems and battery technology
- Autonomous vehicle algorithms
- Sensor technology and system integration
- Vehicle approval and user-centered design
The shared goal was to establish autonomous driving as a realistic option for flexible mobility concepts -particularly in rural areas.
Funding by the EU and the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action
Redundant Localization as the Foundation for Safe Autonomous Driving
Precise, robust, and fail-safe positioning is critical for autonomous driving. This is particularly important in rural environments, where infrastructure and surrounding conditions can vary and localization systems must operate reliably under real-world conditions.
Within the SUE project, Fraunhofer EMFT therefore developed a hybrid primary localization concept that intelligently combines several complementary approaches. The system integrates visual line detection for lane guidance with RFID-based reference points that are embedded along the route as infrastructural landmarks. This is complemented by a model-based state estimation that enables continuous calculation of the vehicle’s position.
The RFID tags serve as robust, weather-independent reference points that are read by the vehicle and compared with its internal position estimate. This additional reference layer creates a redundant system architecture capable of compensating for sensor failures and reducing uncertainties.
The different localization sources are combined using a Kalman-based sensor fusion approach. The result is a validated overall system that increases functional safety and enables stable vehicle positioning for autonomous driving at speeds of up to 50 km/h.
Autonomous Driving as an Opportunity for New Mobility Concepts
The autonomous people mover SUE is currently a road-approved prototype. The project demonstrates how autonomous driving could complement public transport in the future - particularly in regions with low service frequency or limited demand.
With its expertise in redundant sensor systems and robust localization technologies, Fraunhofer EMFT makes a key contribution to the safe implementation of autonomous driving under real-world operating conditions.